Middle East

Maliki said if the people expelled what he called terrorists, they would be spared military action. Iraqi forces are preparing to recapture the city, which has been out of government control for days. Hundreds have already fled shelling and air strikes by government forces. Mr Maliki called on “the people …

John Kerry said he was confident the government of Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki could defeat the militants. Earlier, the Iraqi government said it had lost control of the strategic city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. Al-Qaeda-linked militants now control the south of the city, a security source told the BBC. …

Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Adel were found guilty of organising a recent unauthorised protest. They were arrested after protesting in November over a new controversial law that restricts demonstrations. The move will deepen concern in Egypt about a growing crackdown on dissent, says the BBC’s Orla Guerin in …

The attacker targeted the checkpoint in the village of Aguiria, some 50km (30 miles) east of Libya’s second city. At least eight people, including soldiers and civilians, were wounded. The security situation in and around Benghazi has been worsening in recent months, with extremist militia blamed for almost daily attacks. …